From left to right: Former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Benhur Abalos, ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, former senators Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and Panfilo "Ping" Lacson (Facebook)

SANTA ROSA CITy, Laguna—The Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas senatorial slate has made it part of their mission statement to finally pass the National Land Use Act in the 20th Congress, should they win in the May 12 mid-term elections.

Alyansa bets ACT-CIS Party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo, former Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Benhur Abalos, and former senators Vicente "Tito" Sotto III and Panfilo "Ping" Lacson all cited the importance of pursuing the long-delayed measure during a press conference here Saturday, March 22.

“We must pass the National Land Use Act because it is being abused already. It is for the people, not the few. Dapat matuldukan na ‘yan (We should finish the job already),” Tulfo said.

“Habang hindi naipapasa ang National Land Use Act, asahan na po natin liliit nang liliit ang ating agricultural areas. Liliit ho ‘yan kasi inaabuso no’ng mga buyer ng lupa, binabarat ‘yong mga farmers. ‘Yong mga farmers naman dahil wala kinikita masyado, walang suporta mula sa national government, mga subsidiya, kaya no choice siya kung hindi ibenta ang lupa niya para gawing subdivision, gawing ika-ngang industrial,” he explained.

(Expect our agricultural lands to continue shrinking for as long as we don't pass the National Land Use Act. It will shrink because of the abuse of land buyers, they give the farmers a bad bargain. On the other hand, these farmers don't earn much, they have no support from the national government, the don't have subsidies, that's why they have no choice but to give in and sell their lands to be turned into subdivisions and industrial lands.)

Tulfo warned that continued land conversion would ultimately affect food security.

Abalos also echoed these concerns, and stressed that rapid development led to the disappearance of farmlands not only in this province but across the country.

“Importante ang food security sa ating bansa, damang-dama natin ang issue ay presyo ng bigas, ang presyo ng palay. Ang issue nitong klase na nangyayari sa ating mga palayan ay hindi lang nangyayari sa Laguna, ito ay nangyayari sa buong Pilipinas. Dahil mabilis ang development, magugulat ka na lang nawawala ang mga palayan,” Abalos warned.

(Food security is important to our country, we feel to our core the issue on rice prices, prices of palay. This issue not only happens on the rice fields of Laguna, but all over the Philippines. Because of rapid development, the rate of disappearance of rice fields is astounding.)

Sotto, a former Senate President, recalled that the upper chamber had previously approved the bill in the 15th Congress, but it failed to pass in the House of Representatives.

The House of Representatives passed the measure in the subsequent 16th Congress. But in a reversal of outcomes, it didn't prosper in the Senate.

“Ngayon, sa pagpasok ng Kongreso, ito na, 20th Congress, kung kami ay papalarin at matulungan kami ng Laguna makabalik doon, sigurado ipapasa namin sa Senado ‘yong Land Use Act,” Sotto said.

(Now, with the entry of the 20th Congress, if we become fortunate and Laguna will help us get back to the Senate, we will definitely pass the Land Use Act.)

Lacson pointed out that Laguna’s agricultural sector has dramatically shrunk due to rapid industrialization.

However, he highlighted that approximately 90,000 hectares of alienable and disposable agricultural land still exist, and that these could be revitalized with proper intervention from local government units (LGUs).

“Pwedeng pagyamanin ‘yon sa pamamagitan ng intervention ng local government unit ng Laguna at tsaka ng mga bayan-bayan na kung saan pwede silang mag-propagate ng mga maisasalba pa para mabuhay muli ‘yong agrikultura dito sa Laguna,” he said.

Lacson also stressed that while the rise of industries has boosted Laguna’s economy, the province must ensure that agricultural lands are preserved.